Schools would never teach the true tragedy of Enosis

The Church of Cyprus failed to understand the significance of the British Labour victory in 1945

IT SEEMS that in Cyprus we have become addicted to living on a knife’s edge of invasions (Turkish and Greek), of the Turkish army breathing down our necks, of tension in our relations with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots and of economic meltdowns.

Confirming this addiction our (I avoid any adjective) deputies, carried away by the ideology of Elam – which is a blend of fascism, intolerance, hypocrisy, national salvation and fundamentalism – voted in favour of “a brief teaching of the enosis referendum” of 1950 at public schools.

And what could, I wonder, a student learn from a brief reference to such an important event? Would the teacher have the knowledge to analyse under which conditions this historic decision was taken? Would he or she be permitted by the minister of education to admit the self-evident conclusion that Enosis was an unattainable dream and the Church of Cyprus, by sticking to the slogan “Enosis and only Enosis” was unintentionally complicit in the destruction of Cyprus. Would he or she dare to explain that a maximalist national aim, regardless of how noble it may be, could cause the type of catastrophe that has been experienced in Cyprus?

Would they show the necessary mental rigour to point out that the sacrifice of so many young men was futile? I doubt it. Teachers – the majority at least – would praise the sacrifice of our heroes as if heroism was an end in itself. In the classroom, apathy, yawns, smugness and narcissism would prevail. And this would be referred to as “historical teaching!”

Engaging in research related to the Enosis referendum, the first thing you learn is the problematic nature of the Greek Cypriot leadership before independence – namely the Holy Synod which organised referendum of 1950. This leadership was politically clueless, immature, myopic and conservative and therefore incapable of evaluating correctly the conditions of the time. It completely ignored our Turkish Cypriot compatriots and the closeness of Turkey. Above all, it could not understand that union with Greece was unachievable and that its objective would have a very high price for Greek Cypriots.

Our then leadership completely failed to understand the importance of the first election victory of the British Labour Party in 1945, a social democratic party that was far to the Left of today’s Labour. If Cyprus represented the socialist spectrum of the UK, the Labour Party of 1945 would be in Akamas and that of 2017 in Apostolos Andreas. That is how great the difference between them is.

These elections had huge significance for the future of Cyprus because, as the leading figures of the Labour Party repeatedly said at the time, it was extremely difficult to reconcile a socialist government with the existence of colonies. Therefore, the 1945 elections in Britain signalled the beginning of the end of its colonial rule, but this far-reaching event was ignored by the Holy Synod as was the fact the Labour government had begun granting independence to some of its 70 colonies (e.g. India, Burma, Sri Lanka).

Unfortunately for Cyprus, the Labour Party lost the 1951 elections and was doomed to stay in opposition for the next 13 years, but before it left power it had submitted through the Cyprus governor, Lord Winster, a proposal for the drafting of a constitution for Cyprus’ self-government. The proposal would have been discussed at a conference which the British, but also Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriots representatives would attend. The House would have 22 members – 18 Greek Cypriots and four Turkish Cypriots. The latter would represent 18 per cent (4/22) of deputies (which was the exact percentage of the Turkish Cypriot population), while the proposal did not envisage separate majorities or veto rights. The Turkish Cypriots were recognised as just a minority.

Admittedly it was a constitution with limited self-government as the executive power would remain with the British governor. But if we consider that the British empire was shaking to its foundations, it was only a matter of time before the constitution would have been amended to one for a fully independent state, as happened in the case of other British colonies. The constitution was approved by the Turkish Cypriots, but in 1948 it was rejected by the Ethnarchy and Akel. Thus, a golden, unique opportunity to gain independence was lost and we were exclusively to blame.

The second thing you learn is the catastrophe caused by the policy for Enosis, even though we would never admit this to students or to ourselves. When the conference for the constitution collapsed, the Holy Synod and Akel promoted the idea of Enosis through a referendum in January 1950 which gave birth to Eoka in 1955 which in its turn gave birth to the truncated independence of the 1960 and subsequently the conflict of ’63. The objective of Enosis was not abandoned and the last attempt at achieving it in July 1974 caused the biggest disaster suffered by Cyprus in its long history.

It would be very wrong to isolate the Enosis referendum from the events that led to it and from the events that were caused by it. The teaching of history cannot be a la carte, serving whatever suits us. Such an approach ignores the most crucial aspect of teaching history – that is the multi-sided approach to historical events through different historic sources.

The article says that “And what could, I wonder, a student learn from a brief reference to such an important event? Would the teacher have the knowledge to analyse under which conditions this historic decision was taken?”
I am sorry but you were mislead by the false propaganda that erupted just after the vote in parliament.
The Enosis Referendum is already taught at school for some years now. What will now happen is a short mention on the day of the event or a handout prepared by the ministry. There is a whole list of such events to be mentioned in class. Mind you usually teachers will not do even this as they are anxious to catch up with their syllabus.

Bluestorm

History is not biased,but political analyses and history narratives are. Just like the one by Koumoullis. He misses too many truths about the Enosis issue and passes his expert judgement, being over selective in his argument.Those that are elated by Koumoulli’s text and proclaiming him master historian are overstating their case.

John Aziz Kent Kent

Ocatıonally some body WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLIGENCE OF MR GEORGE KOUMOULLIS COMES ALONG WHO TRYES HIS BEST FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL CYPRIOTS AND TELLS THE TRUTH OF THE DISASTEROUS HISTORICAL PAST BUT SOME HOW THE AFFECT OF
The Ottomans empıre havıng ruled the Greek Natıon for a long tıme couplIıng wıth a lot of Greek Mıthology destroys all efforts for a BASED ON REALITES
AND TRUTH SOLUTION OTHERWAYS WE WOULDNT HAVE SO MANY MISTAKES TAKING PLACE AND CONTINUEING THE LAST HORRIBLE YEARS FOR ALL OUR PEOPLE BE IT GREEKS OR TURKISH WE MOST PROBABLY ALL HAVE THE SAME D N A I BELEIVE THE CHURCH SHOULD COME FORWARD AND TELLTHE TRUTH OF THE WHOLE PAST
HISTORICAL CATASTROPHIC DISASTEROUS PERIOD FOR
THE BENEFIT OF ALL YOUNG GREEKS AND TURKS INCLUDING THE ON GOING PRESENT ENOSIS DRAMA HAVN’T WE HAD ENOUGH OF MISERYES YET ? ARE WE LOOKING FOR MORE ? PLEASE GOD SAVE CYPRUS FROM EGOS OF IRRESPOSIBLE PEOPLE

anastasia

Well said Mr. Koumoullis.
The rejection of the Winster plan, which would undoubtedly have led to the independence of Cyprus,was a suicidal act and conditioned the subsequent political developments of the island.
The limited self-government was not the main reason for its rejection. The main reason was the fact that it excluded any debate on Enosis in rhe Legislative Council.
The claim of Enosis has been the root cause of almost all our woes. The latest vote, which has nothing to do with either the knowledge of history or even the revival of the enosist spirit ( in essence the majority of Cypriots is not keen on Enosis any more) was intended to scupper the talks and thwart the possible solution. It seems that the death drive is inherent in the Cypriot psyche.

Mr. Grumpy

Excellent article. Over the recent decades we have been inflicting self wounds on ourselves, the most recent being this silly immaterial enosis vote by the ” deputies”, which gave yet again an opportunity to the Turks to torpedo the talks.
I don’t blame so much the Holy Synod for its decision 70 years ago. I mostly blame the Greek government at the time which for its own expansionist policies instigated the Eoka movement which in the end brought disaster to Cyprus with the Turkish invasion of 1974. Unfortunately I think there is worse to come and we shall always give excuses to the Turks to “intervene” and ultimately consume the ROC.

Roger Thecabinboy

the Greek Government did not create EOKA but was likely a sponsor of EOKA B, the terrorists active in the 60’s and early 70’s. As it was for its own ends the Greek Junta of 74 decided to launch their invasion of Cyprus (as Big Mak put it) using the Greek Officer controlled national Guard and that was the trigger for the Turkish Invasions of July and August 19714

Georgios Milopoulos

Classic British minded thesis.All Nations fights for freedom is cancelled by the article position.All Nations should accept their occupation by others such as British and Turkish as given.No reaction should be allowed.Of course in such fights there are mistakes and people gain benefits out of same but the basis is that Greeks of Cyprus had the right to decide for their destiny .At least Cyprus could be safe against Turkey as Creta Island is .

Ozay Mehmet

This is a good historical analysis. I am glad CM has published it, more discussion on this tragic history of a defunct ideology is required to be able to move forward progressively and empathy. Not a la carte, but in its totality…..how and why it is a drug, still capable of poisoning young and old in South Cyprus.

I remember the 1950 Church ENOSIS Plebiscite well. It was one one of the first acts of Makarios as the new Archbishop. Barely in my teens, it shocked me and my generation. It directly led to the birth of modern TC Nationalism under Dr. Kucuk. The TC youth then quickly got organized around the slogan “Ya Taksim, Ya Olum” [Taksim or Death].

It was not only GCs leadership, but the TC leaders as well, who failed to grasp the Wind of Change, the new wave of Decolonisation and its implications for Cyprus. At that time, Ankara rebuffed TC request for aid {with a blunt statement that “Turkey has no problem known as the “Cyprus Problem”}.

Things changed drastically with the EOKA violence launched on Fools Day 1955. Ankara, then under Menderes and esp. FM Zorlu, championed the TC cause. In Baghdad Pact, UK warmed up to Turkey and embraced Turkey’s stakeholding in Cyprus as a means of stopping violent ENOSIS campaign. Makarios and Grivas were then co-conspirators. Makarios was exiled to Seychelles for his refusal to climb down from EOKA/ENOSIS bandwagon. The British colonial administration recruited more and more TC Special Police who were murdered by EOKA gangsters.

The inter-communal violence was suddenly settled in secret NATO diplomacy through military actors in Ankara and Athens, first the Zurich and then London Agreements, resulting in Cyprus Independence. Sovereignty was transferred jointly to TCs and GCs, represented by Kucuk and Makarios.

But Makarios never gave up on ENOSIS. He viewed Independence temporary and a stepping stone for ENOSIS. In three years, he tore up the 1960 Constitution, In his speech at Panayia in 1962 he declared war on the TCs, “the enemy” of ENOSIS and Hellenism. With his 13 Points, he, relying on home minister Georgiades used EOKA violence to expel TCs out of GOC and he probably would have gone ahead with ENOSIS had Greece remained a democracy. In the July 1974 Coup, the coupists declared the “Hellenic Republic of Cyprus,” Makarios was overthrown simply because he rejected rewarding the military Xunta in Athens .

So, to cut a long and complex history short, ENOSIS Politics have always worked as a Poisoned Chalice, poisoning TC and GC relations, past and present. ,ENOSIS did not start in 1950….it goes back to 1821 and Arcb. Kyprianos. It is in history books, and I myself have told it in my novel ANGELINA’S TREASURE.

Bluestorm

I am certain that you believe your own lies.There are so many discrepancies in your comment that you think you are addressing your own personal audience.Just one thing.If Makarios was such a passionate advocate of Enosis why did his political adversaries called him α perjurer of his allegiance to Enosis,why did Grivas opposed him through his violent organisation Eoka B and why did Makarios rejected the Acheson plan which was the closest to Enosis that Cyprus could ever hope for?

Ozay Mehmet

Believe whatever you want.

Bluestorm

Thank you for your permission.
I posed a three-fold question.Apparently,you cannot deal with it.And you can continue to believe that your posts are sacred as Mohamed’s revelations which should not be challenged.

Ozay Mehmet

No prophets….simply put, when facts are branded “lies”, then “closed minds” take over (as my teacher Popper used to describe dogma/ideology), and Socratic dialogue (exchange of ideas) is not possible.

Bluestorm

Great that you are in touch with Greek philosophers.Still waiting for you to respond to my question, in my effort to exchange ideas.

Slomi

well said.

Frustrated

The a la carte version of history continues to dominate and is reflected in the comments as witnessed on this forum on a daily basis. Both GCs and TCs are past masters at it as they in turn vie for the moral high ground and pump out why their ‘side’ is more worthy of support. I suspect that they do this not only to convince outsiders but also themselves.

The GCs consider the Turkish invasion of 20th. July 1974 to be a ‘barbaric’ act and totally unjustified while the TCs look upon that day as a ‘peace operation’ and was wholly necessary in order to ensure that ENOSIS was thwarted and that they weren’t wiped out. The GCs tend to either ignore the Greek coup five days previously or else dismiss it almost as a trivial event carried out by a mere handful of people. In addition, it’s deemed as part of an Anglo-American-NATO ‘conspiracy’ with the Turks carrying out the wishes of their ‘masters’.

The reality is that both communities have always looked to their respective ‘motherlands’ for security and belief that theirs is a shared history. It’s almost as if they have an inferiority complex and have a need to add a prefix, either Greek or Turkish, to the word Cypriot in order to garner a sense of belonging to a tribe more worthy than themselves.

Political events of the last few days have reinforced the seemingly insurmountable divisions that still exist and from where I’m standing, unification is a dead letter. It’s obvious that it was always a chimera. The next stage will be even messier and an official velvet divorce is unlikely. That being the case, more a la carte versions of history will be the order of the day with their attendant half-truths, lies and manipulated statistics. You pay your money and you make your choice.

Ozay Mehmet

A la carte history?…EOKA/ENOSIS are more like a GC history of Poisoned Chalice. .

Filios

“IT SEEMS that in Cyprus we have become addicted to living on a knife’s edge” – yes because too much fresh air covers up the stench of the outsiders that like to keep Cyprus unstable so they can control their unsinkable aircraft carrier. All through history you can see this, but we Cypriots for some odd reason cannot. Maybe like I said before too much fresh air is like a drug making us lightheaded and easy pray. There is a song called “Summer wine” you should listen to …. she gave me summer wine and stole my silver spurs a dollar and a dime, and left me craving for old summer wine …. yep, that’s us giving up our paradise to others for a moments summer wine

costaskarseras

Mr Koumoulis is digging like an archaeologist, he finds fragments of different objects, glues them together and draws his own conclusions. (A polite suggestion, Mr Koumoulis, please read some articles by our Turkish Cypriot compatriot Sener Levent which are relevant to the problems facing our country today.) Since the demand for Enosis, we have moved on. Enosis was abandoned in 1960 after signing the London-Zurich agreements which were designed like a time bomb ready to be exploded and it did erupt. In 1974 we had the NATO-Greek junta coup, I don’t know what was your part in the coup but many G/C resisted and gave their lives defending democracy. After the NATO-Greek junta’s coup and according to the “Operation Gladio” plan for Cyprus, the NATO-Turkish invasion took place. The outcome of this invasion was that 200 000 innocent Cypriots were forced off their land and I am sure that you are aware that this is a war crime. Almost 43 years later there are still refugees and my hometown, Varosha remains a ghost town, whilst the other guarantor Britain turns a blind eye. Does this punishment fit the crime because the G/C in a referendum demanded enosis in the 1950s?

Is the inappropriate and irresponsible amendment passed by the parliamentarians a valid reason to stop the negotiations? According to President Erdogan yes. After all, Turkey invested heavily in partitioning Cyprus. The retired Turkish Gen. Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu admitted that Turks burned mosques to increase animosity toward Greeks in Cyprus.

Αρκάδας

The TCs (not all of them) want Taxim and enosis with Turkey, the GCs (not all of them) want Enosis with Greece and the leaders talk about reunification, is this a joke. One Enosis would have been great, enosis of the north and the south.

mmMMmMMmMMMmm

Lets have another referandum and ask what everyone wants

Yani

EXactly!!… this time two questions and four boxes…
unification ? yes or no
seperation ?… yes or no

Fevzi Ogelman

The result will be Yes for separation.

Anon

Someone should set up an online petition..it would need to be done properly as I’m sure the results could be sabotaged .
With good security ..it may give an indication of where people stand .

IrishCypriot

This article should certainly be required reading in Cyprus history classes

Cydee

I think he should write the modern-history syllabus for schools.

Vahan Aynedjian

I don’t know if I agree with all points in the analysis of Mr. Koumoullis. There are good points in there, about not being able to foresee the future, but there is no guarantee that independence would have been granted eventually, in a way that would safeguard peace and co-existence on the island. But one thing is for sure, he still has a brilliant mind. I remember he used to dictate notes to us in class for A Level Economics at the English School while reading “The Economist”!…and this was 40 years ago!

George Konstantinou

Brilliant analysis. This is what they must read in schools! Congratulations Mr Koumoullis

Veritas

An excellent, revealing article about our misguided dreams of ENOSIS, which I’ve stated so many times is the main reason behind the Cyprob, only to be met by a barrage of invectives and empty nationalistic arguments.
It’s always refreshing to read articles by Mr. Koumoullis, as a balance to the normal self-absorbed “analysis” and comments we’re fed with on a daily base.
If only our schools could adopt some of Mr. Koumoullis views as food for thoughts and discussion, it would be a small step forward.

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